Google Pixel Fold Release Date and Price Leaks Ahead of Annual Developer Conference

Details have leaked about Google’s upcoming plans ahead of its Google I/O developer conference on May 10, and we’ll see the company’s next phone sooner than we think.

According to a report from CNBC, Google will announce the next Pixel smartphone model, the Pixel Fold, which will be the first foldable device coming from the tech company. The report stated that the device would release in June and has a price tag of $1700.

From the details released, the Pixel Fold will be a pocket-sized, water-resistant, and highly durable smartphone that folds similarly to Samsung’s Fold phones. It was described as having the “most durable hinge on a foldable” device.

Full specs for the Pixel Fold have yet to be made available. However, the device is described as having a book-like fold design with a screen sized at 7.6 inches. In addition, it will run on the Tensor G2 chip, which powers the Pixel 7 series of Google phones as well as both ChromeOS and Android operating systems. The device will also have a larger battery, making the phone slightly heavier at 10 oz, but it will give it up to 24 hours of continuous battery life when powered on.

Coupled with the larger screen real-estate, the folding capabilities, and the current power of recent phones, this will make the Pixel Fold the most advanced and most expensive phone that Google has released. Google’s new device will directly compete with Samsung’s Fold smartphones.

The rise of foldable phones

Foldable devices have become increasingly popular in recent years due to the success of Samsung’s Fold smartphones. As a blend of form, flexibility, and function, foldable smartphones give users a larger screen to have better readability and more comfort and utility when browsing on their devices.

In a hardware review for Google’s Pixel 7 Pro, IGN editor Kevin Lee gave it a top score, stating that “The Google Pixel 7 Pro offers an even more fantastic value than its predecessor. With a more refined look, a brighter screen, 5x telephoto camera, and even more impressive digital zoom capabilities, there’s almost no reason to consider any other high-end Android phone.

So far, Google has not had a particularly great last six months with the shutdown of Stadia and the layoffs of thousands of employees. With the upcoming developer confernce, it oculd be opportunity for the company to regain a sense of direction and footing. We will have more details on the Pixel Fold and other details released from the Google I/O conference next month, so be sure to check back with IGN as more details come in.

Alessandro Fillari is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram @afillari.